Producers: How to Find and Vet Great Scripts

Learn directly from Joe Russo, Director of Development at Level 1 Entertainment, who has worked on projects with FOX, SyFy, A/E, Lionsgate Films and Universal Studios!

Movies and TV shows all start with a great script, but finding one is not always easy. Whether you’re an independent producer or a large production company, it can take countless hours of reading and looking through hundreds of scripts to find that diamond in the rough.

How many times have you found a great idea, but the script just didn’t live up to the concept? Or how about a great writer whose idea isn’t quite marketable enough? Are these lost causes? Should you still consider them?

In this Stage 32 Next Level Webinar, host Joe Russo will explain from an executive’s point of view the best ways to find and identify a great script. He will also dive into how Hollywood producers analyze material and determine if it’s worth taking on, so you can learn to do the process just like the pros do. You will leave this webinar with a clear understanding of how and where to find great undiscovered scripts, as well as how to analyze the material to make sure you’re setting yourself up for success.

Joe Russo is currently the Director of Development at Level 1 Entertainment, where he heads up a slate of feature films and television programs, working hand-in-hand with several major motion picture studios and television networks. Joe has worked on commercials, web-series, television and feature films for such companies as Nike, FOX, SyFy, A/E, Lionsgate Films and Universal Studios. Joe has been recognized for his “firm grasp of the craft, solid storytelling, and compelling characters”, as well as developing many acclaimed projects, and he is here exclusively to teach for Stage 32!

What You Will Learn

-Understanding Different Types of Production Companies.

- What’s the difference between a financier, foreign sales company and development

company?

- Who should you go to and with what projects?

-Understanding how a piece of material flows through a Production Company.

- Who is reading a script?

- How are they analyzing the material?

- What are they looking for?

- How to Find Material.

- Understanding Digital Opportunities versus Traditional Methods.

-How to Analyze Material.

- How should you be vetting a project?

- How should you be vetting the writer?

-What is a Producer Looking for in a Script?

- What are they trying to find in a studio movie? An independent one?

- What genres are they looking for? Why?

- What types of characters are they looking for?

- Which budget ranges work best? Why?

Who Should Attend?

- Independent producers looking for effective ways to find new scripts

- Production companies looking for new ways to find material

- Producers looking for new projects

- Producers looking for the best way to analyze scripts they have already found

- Writers interested in seeing what producers look for when vetting scripts

- Directors looking to spot standout material

- Any creative that wants to learn the process of how scripts are found and picked up

About The Webinar Format:

Webinars take place online using a designated software program from Stage 32. You can participate from the comfort of your own home and you will be able to communicate directly with your instructor during the webinar. If you cannot attend the live webinar, you can still participate! The webinar will be recorded and you will have on-demand access to the audio recording, which you can view as many times as you'd like for a whole year. More information can be found below.

About Your Host Joe Russo, Director of Development at Level 1 Entertainment

Award-Winning filmmaker, Joe Russo, has seen his short films featured in festivals worldwide, garnering praise from top film critics. His years of production experience include work on commercials, web-series, television and feature films for such companies as Nike, FOX, SyFy, A/E, Lionsgate Films and Universal Studios.

Joe is currently the Director of Development at Level 1 Entertainment, under CEO and Hollywood producer, Bill Todman, Jr., heading up a slate of feature films and television programs, working hand-in-hand with several major motion picture studios and television networks.

Joe has been recognized for his “firm grasp of the craft, solid storytelling, and compelling characters”, developing many acclaimed projects, including Exorcist Inc. and City of Exile, developed with writer Claire Weaver, which were featured on the 2014 Young and Hungry List, How High the Moon developed with writer Isaac Adamson, which was featured on the 2014 Hit List, and the screenplay Nicholas, developed with writer Leo Sardarian, that was featured on the 2013 Young and Hungry List, the 2013 Hit List and the 2013 Black List.